Vehicle fuel economy system

Abstract

A fairing assembly for a trailer having a wheel set and a hitch, the fairing assembly comprising a fairing connected to an underside of the trailer intermediate the hitch and the wheel set, the fairing including (i) a pair of opposing lateral surfaces separated by a distance, (ii) a bottom surface spaced from the underside of the trailer, and (ii) a leading surface, the leading surface substantially spanning the distance, wherein the leading surface includes an intake opening, wherein at least one of the bottom surface or the lateral surfaces includes an exit opening, and a flow path fluidly connects the intake opening and the exit opening.

1 . A drag force reduction system for a trailer having an underside, a hitch, and a wheel set, the trailer comprising:
 (a) a frame connected to the underside of the trailer intermediate the hitch and wheel set, the frame having a front portion, a back portion, a bottom portion and two opposing lateral sides;   (b) a skin enclosing at least one portion of the frame.   
     
     
         2 . The drag force reduction system for vehicles of  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes sets of struts forming interconnecting modular sections. 
     
     
         3 . The drag force reduction system of  claim 2 , wherein the modular sections are approximately 1 foot to 20 feet wide. 
     
     
         4 . The drag force reduction system of  claim 1 , wherein the frame further comprises aerodynamic fin portions extending from the lateral sides. 
     
     
         5 . The drag force reduction system of  claim 1 , wherein the skin substantially encloses the front portion, the side portions and the bottom portion and wherein the lateral sides are spaced at a distance that is substantially equal to the width of the trailer. 
     
     
         6 . The drag force reduction system of  claim 5 , wherein the skin substantially encloses the back portion of the frame, the back portion spaced from the wheel set of the trailer. 
     
     
         7 . The drag force reduction system of  claim 6 , wherein the back portion extends from a first position spaced from the underside of the trailer to a second position adjacent the underside of the trailer, the second position being intermediate the wheel set and the first position. 
     
     
         8 . The drag force reduction system of  claim 1 , wherein the skin enclosing the at least one portion of the frame is selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate, ABS plastic, metal, rubber, fabric and polyurethane. 
     
     
         9 . The drag force reduction system of  claim 2 , wherein the back portion includes a top edge spaced from the underside of the trailer. 
     
     
         10 . The drag force reduction system of  claim 9 , wherein the space is approximately six inches. 
     
     
         11 . The drag force reduction system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (c) a back unit for mounting to a back planar surface of the trailer, the back unit having (ii) first and second frames formed of a plurality of struts, each frame having a base portion arranged proximate the back planar surface of the trailer and a protruding portion of the frame arranged distal to the back planar surface of the trailer, wherein the base portion of the first frame circumscribes a first portion of the back planar surface of the trailer and wherein the base portion of the second frame circumscribes a second portion of the back planar surface of the trailer; and (ii) a material substantially enclosing the back unit frames.   
     
     
         12 . The drag force reduction system of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second frames each form approximately ½ of a pyramid. 
     
     
         13 . The drag force reduction system of  claim 11 , further comprising
 (d) hinges fixed to the back planar surface of the vehicle and hinge bolts for receiving a first terminal end of each strut.   
     
     
         14 . The drag force reduction system of  claim 13 , wherein the first termination end of each strut includes a pivoting connector arranged to engage one of the hinge bolts.